Pam and Jürg climbed Ruapehu during their first trip to New Zealand on 5. January 1998. The snow had just receded enough so that most of the way up was clear, but some snow patches remained which helped during the descent ;-) Ruapehu's crater lake was then at a much lower level compared with 2005 (see aerial photo page).
Ngauruhoe in the background.
Remarkably fresh glacier striae on lava.
Meltwater stream and glacier striae.
Ladybirds populate Ruapehu's lava just as they do on Etna.
Small remnant of Whakapapa Glacier with ash layer from 1995/96 eruption; Mount Taranaki or Egmont in the background.
Following the ridge between Whakapapa Glacier and the Summit Plateau. Dome shelter to the left of the summit.
Cathedral Rocks (2663m) on the far side of the Summit Plateau. Very little permanent ice is left here are a result of glacier retreat.
Cheese! Pam and Jürg in front of the steaming Crater Lake.
Steaming Crater Lake and Tahurangi Peak (2797m) on the upper right. The place where the lake overflows, when it gets full, is in the middle of the far side.
No, this is not an impact from a recently erupted bomb! Ash covering a snow layer has collapsed where some melting has occurred.
An unusual «volcanic glacier table». The block protects the underlying ice and snow from the sun's radiation and thus reduces melting.
Quickly descening Ruapehu by means of a few remnant snow patches.
